The present invention refers to a tiltable ashtray or storage bin for motor vehicles, or the like uses, comprising a receiving frame which can be fastened in a wall recess, a receiving housing hinged to the frame and an ashtray insert which is removably held in the receiving housing and which can be replaced in that housing by a storage compartment or bin which holds small articles.
A tiltable ashtray of this type is known from Federal Republic of Germany Published Application OS 37 41 096. In that known ashtray the ash receptacle can be replaced with a group of audio cassettes. Otherwise, the ashtray, together with its corresponding functional parts, remains unchanged.
Federal Republic of Germany Published Application OS 38 02 801 discloses a conversion set for motor vehicles which have an ashtray receiver for a removable ashtray insert. The conversion unit includes a mount which is adapted to the ashtray receiver and which can be inserted in the receiver in place of the ashtray insert. The mount is intended for holding additional equipment, for instance, a small article such as a pocket computer, a camera, and the like, or for itself holding a container for small items such as sunglasses, a lipstick tube, and the like. In that application, the entire ashtray is replaced by a different functional part. However, this does not appear satisfactory, if only for reasons of expense.